TED iPhone app brings big ideas to the small screen

Updated. TED.com launched its iPhone app Tuesday morning, making it possible for iPhone and iPod touch users to access the site’s more than 900 TED talks on their mobile device. TED’s iPhone app comes a year after the site debuted its iPad app, and brings some of the tablet version’s features to the small screen. For instance, users can stream TED talks to their Apple TV via AirPlay and share video recommendations on social networks.

The app also puts a big emphasis on audio-only content: All TED talks are available for listening, and a dedicated radio mode makes it possible to stream curated TED talks nonstop. TED’s developers said Tuesday on the site’s blog that the audio content will soon be available on the iPad as well.

TED has been hugely successful with bringing recordings of its exclusive conferences online. The TED.com site hit a benchmark of 500 million streamed videos this summer, which is remarkable for content that largely consists of 18-minute long talks about subjects like technology, design and science. Mobile devices have been playing an increasingly large role for TED as well: A spokesperson told me via email the iPad app has seen 1.9 million downloads so far.

Update: A TED spokesperson told us that an Android app will follow early next year.